Cooties from Hairspray – Check your bags for Bedbugs!

So I recently got back from a trip to NYC, which is also home to broadway, tons of stars and also bed bugs. Unfortunately for one of my friends, they didn’t see the show Hairspray, but they did bring home something like the NYC version of Cooties, Bedbugs. Although we didn’t see Hairspray, it is just like the song Cooties from Hairspray where these little bastard bugs just seem like they are crawling everywhere and you cannot get rid of them. Not only do you have to throw things out, but it is seriously expensive to try and treat them. I feel seriously sorry for my friend, but I also cannot resist singing the Cooties song from Hairspray to him as well. Anyways, although Bedbugs aren’t actually Cooties, the song is funny and I did learn a few things that everyone should do when they are coming home from New York City so that they can try to reduce the risk of getting Bedbugs.

1. Unpack your bags outside of your house or apartment. Not only will this let you look through your clothes and suitcase to make sure you aren’t bringing bedbugs home from NYC, but you’ll also have a chance to shake everything out before it goes into your house.

2. Bring a plastic bag and load everything you shake out into it. This way if any bedbugs did crawl into your bags or suitcase while on the trip, they are now contained in the plastic bag. m

3. Immediately put everything in the dryer for at least 25 minutes on high heat. Apparently putting your clothes and everything else in the dryer on high heat will kill bed bugs.

4. Buy sprays and use them in your suitcase. You cannot be too careful and these things are hard to find or see sometimes. It never hurts to spray your suitcase down with bed bug spray. Use it in all of the pockets, in the lining and everywhere else. They can get into everything and hide in everything.

5. Search your room when you get to NYC. One of the best things to protect yourself from Bed Bugs in NYC is to check out websites like the Bed Bug report for recent infestations, but also to check out the room yourself. If you see any or think you do, request a refund and find a new hotel.

6. Store your suitcase in the bathroom. I’m not sure if this is true, but apparently bed bugs do not like or live in bathrooms. If your bathroom is big enough, store your suitcase in it and if they don’t live in there there is a chance your bags are safer.

Bedbugs are not fun at all, but unfortunately you may get them if you go to NYC. Be smart and search your hotel room before you stay there or unpack and if you see them, check into somewhere else. In the meantime, lets hope my friend is able to get rid of his bedbugs and also sing Cooties from Hairspray to him because it is kind of funny and will at least make him laugh.